Musicians descend on Newtownards for guitar festival

The Ards International Guitar Festival from April 6-10 in Newtownards will include blues, folk and flamenco.

Highlights include Martin Carthy, Antoine Dufour, Wiktoria Szubelak, No Oil Paintings, Grainne Duffy and The Emerald Armada.

Dufour is from Montreal in Canada and plays progressive music.

Carthy has been one of folk music’s “greatest innovators” for more than 40 years, the festival organisers said.

A spokesman said: “He is a ballad singer and a ground-breaking guitarist. Most significantly, his settings of traditional songs have influenced a generation of artists, including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon.

“Wiktoria Szubelak is one of Poland’s most talented young classical guitarists.

“She has performed throughout Europe to outstanding reviews. Her concert repertoire contains solo works by Bach, Giuliani, Barrios, Lobos and others.”